[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 20537]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



     THE 23 FUND KEEPING ALIVE THE MEMORY OF RAMIRO ``TOTI'' MENDEZ

  (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, baseball continues to be Americans' 
favorite pastime. Young boys who favor this sport dream of playing for 
their college teams.
  This dream came true for Ramiro Mendez, warmly known as Toti to his 
teammates, his family and friends. He was number 23 for Florida 
International University's baseball team until the day he succumbed to 
a rare heart disease.
  Little is known about this heart problem, which is oftentimes not 
found until it is too late. Toti's family is working to pass 
legislation in Florida that would make heart tests mandatory for 
student physical exams.
  In an effort to keep his memory alive, Toti's family and friends have 
established the 23 Fund for tuition assistance for other student 
athletes at Florida International University.
  On October 19, FIU and the AXA Foundation will raise scholarship 
funds to memorialize Toti and the hundreds of other athletes who have 
been affected by this heart ailment.
  Toti will continue to live in the spirit of his family, his teammates 
and all of us who were privileged to know him.

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